Kids stool

This stool was a first for me in the box joint department. I got the design and idea from the link below, another lumberjock, and used some leftover stock from making cutting boards. The top is sidegrain Hard Maple from 8/4 stock, and I cut strips to be 1” thick. The top measures 8”x13”. I used 4/4 stock Walnut for the legs which are 7” tall. I did use powertools and rushed the process so my stool is not nearly as impressive as the project below.
I am posting this mostly to get some tips on using dado blades as I had a lot of chip-out which is on the underside of the stool (cleverly hidden…) out of view. I also wanted some tips on using box joints; as you can see from the pictures, each joint is a little different leaving unsightly gaps in places. I did check for warping before I cut the joints to match and everything was square. It could be my lame home made jig.

A backer board is a must for this kind of work … make sure the workpiece is solidly clamped to the jig with the backer board in between. Under most circumstances, that will eliminate tear-out. Another trick is to strike a line that matches the height of the cut across the grain on with a marking knife … that can also reduce chances of tear-out as it severs the grain at the point the blade will exit the piece.

—Gerry

-- Gerry -- "I don't plan to ever really grow up ... I'm just going to learn how to act in public!"

The Dane—Thanks for the advice, I had a backer board but now that I think about it, there was a cut in it larger than what I was cutting. Thanks for bringing that to my attention.HokieMojo—Yes I definitely need a tighter insert.